Crowned annular hairpiece with central loops

ABSTRACT

A crowned annular-shaped hairpiece having an inner diameter dimensioned to fit around and expose the area in which hair growth radiates from the center of the crown of the human scalp, an outer diameter of skull cap dimension, and a covering of hair or other stranded material, arranged to radiate away from the center of the annulus, the innermost strands of the hair being fixed in upright loops extended toward the center of the annulus and doubled back to radiate away from it is described; a method of simulating a growth of hair rising from the natural scalp is also disclosed.

. Desell [4 1 Aug. 7, 1973 CROWNED ANNULAR HAIRPIECE WITH CENTRAL LOOPS[76] Inventor: Elva Lee Desell, 919 Jamieson Rd.,

Lutherville, Md. 21093 [22] Filed: May 16, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 253,838

7 Related Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 129,394,March 30,

. 1971, abandoned.

s21 U.S. C1. -132/55 [51] Int. Cl. A4lg 5/00 [58] Field of Search132/55, 53, 54

[$6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 57,328 8/1866 lverson 132/53$41,125 6/1895 Simonson 132/54 3,435,832 4/1969 lto l32/54 PrimaryExaminer-Russell R. Kinsey Assistant Examiner-Gregory E. McNeil!Attorney-John F. McClellan, Sr.

[57] ABSTRACT A crowned annular-shaped hairpiece having an innerdiameter dimensioned to fit around and expose the area-in which hairgrowth radiates from the center of the crown of the human scalp, anouter diameter of skull cap dimension, and a covering of hair or otherstranded material, arranged to radiate away fromthe center of theannulus, the innermost strands of the hair being fixed in upright loopsextended toward the center of the annulus and doubled back to radiateaway from, it is described; a method of simulating a growth of hairrising from the natural scalp is also disclosed.

.5 Claims, 9. Drawing Figures CROWNED ANNULAR IIAIRPIECE WITII CENTRALLOOPS This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior filed U.S.application Ser. No. l29,394, filed Mar. 30, l97l, entitled HALO WIGLETand simultaneously abandoned on the filing of the present application.

This invention relates generally to hairpieces and specifically to meansand method of providing partial coverage of the scalp in contrast withemployment of a full wig. In the prior art, partial wigs have beendisclosed, including circular hairpieces having a hole in the center insomewhat the manner of the structure of the hairpiece of this invention.Exemplary of these are the structures disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.3,307,563, 541,125 and 57,328. However, the prior disclosed devices havefound no favor in todays market for reasons which are compensated byjudicious inventive changes in the presently disclosed hairpiece meansand method. For example, according to one object, the present inventionreveals the wearers scalp at thecrown and, however bald the crown of thewearer may be, produces the illusion of a perfect growth of hair risingup from and radiating from the natural crown.

According to another object of the invention, the wearers hair may beeasily and freely led up through and commingled with the hair of thecrown without disarranging or tangling with it to give a secure,attractive, natural looking blend of the two.

A further object of the invention is to provide anovel, versatilepartial hairpiece which can be used in a wide variety of stylings,including but not limitedto flat, stacked, rolled, cascaded, andbarretted styles.

Still further objects are to provide an invention as described which isadapted for use by women and girls of widely differing age groups and invarious shades as desired, which is lightweight and cool but full enoughto supplement or even to substitute fully for natural growth, which iseasy to care for, and which gives a natural, professionally cared-foraspect to the wearers coiffure.

In representative embodiment, the structure of the invention includes acrowned (crown fitting) annulus for flexible sheet material such asfabric with a plurality of strands of material, such as natural orartifical hair, affixed around the inner periphery of the annulus, and aplurality of said strands of material covering the outer surface of theannulus and radially extending to a concentric circular fringe beyondthe outer diameter of the annulus. The strands affixed at the innerperiphery radially extending toward the center of the annulus and inupstanding loops returning and radially extending away from the center;the method of this invention includes a means of creating the illusionof a natural crown on the users scalp regardless of whether the user hashair at the crown, by causing hair to appear to rise and radiate fromthe scalp of the human head in the crown area.

The above advantages and objects of this invention will become morereadily appreciated on examination of the following description,including the drawings, in

which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the top of an embodiment of the invention asworn;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bottom of the FIG. I embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a section in elevation of the FIG. 1 embodiment of theinvention, as worn;

FIG. 4 indicates the side aspect of the inventionin use on the crown ofa wearers head;

FIG. 5 indicates the invention in useon thecrow-nof. a wearer's head asseen from the back, lookingslightly down;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, illustrating anotherarrangement;

FIG. 7 is a back view of the invention inv use-at a;

invention from the top,. in place on the head. of a.

wearer, a portion of the natural hair showing-at N. FIG.

2 is a bottom plan of the FIG. 1 embodiment. FIG. 3is.

a section of the FIG. 1 embodiment taken at 3-3, FIG. 1.

From FIGS. 1 3 it can be seen that this embodiment comprises aring-shaped coif 12 of fabric or-other'thin,

pliable, preferably ventila'tive material, bearing,hair'-l4.

sewn, cemented, or otherwise suitably attached, to it.

The inner diameter of the coif is that approximatelyof the area ofradiating hair growth on the human scalp at the crown, normallyaboutl-to-2 inches. The outerdi ametcr is preferably about three times the.inner diameter to give the natural fit of a small skull-cap, providing:for best blending convenience and-appearance.

The first row 16 of hair is affixed near the-innerpe. riphery andextends outwardwardtoward the center'of' the opening in the ring. Itthen loops back. in upright;

loops and joins the other rows of hair, forming-,acrisply definedsymmetrical exterior. periphery of the piece.

' somewhat beyond the outer edges of the coif 12; As.

best shown in FIG. 3 the hairs of the first row are: pref-- erablystitched or otherwise again attached atthepoint' where they loop backover the inner periphery of the coif 12, as indicated by stitch 18.

This feature keeps the loops uniform and insures that the edge of thebase material willbe concealed at all placed, regardless of how the hairis dressed. Additionally, this feature tends to prevent tangling bytwisting at the inner periphery, and more importantly, makes blendingwith the natural hair much easier in all hair. styles.

For example, in FIG. 1 the wearer has a. reasonable amount of naturalhair N growing around the center of radiation or crown C, at which pointthe scalp is revealed. If this natural hair rises from the scalp-andthen passes down again under the coif, as shown, the natural:

loops will intersperse with the loops of the first row I6, pleasinglyblending the two together in a manner not otherwise attainable.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate another variation in style. Instead of havingthe invention 10 sit like a cap on topof the hair as in FIG. 1, it isshown here with the natural hair N which is circumadjacent the naturalcrown pulled up through the central aperture of the invention orentwined with tresses of the piece 10. The same effect can be achievedwith piece 10 alone, if the wearer has bountiful hair which can be drawnup through the central opening and arranged as shown.

FIG. 7 shows another arrangement which is particularly effective. Thepiece 10 is secured at the wearers nape around a loose pony-tailarrangement of natural hair N. Crisp, well supported and directed hairor hairlike material is particularly well adapted for securance aroundnatural hair in this manner. For this reason the individual hairs arebest affixed in the radial direction.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate one preferred embodiment 100 of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a section showing the invention 100 resting on a scalp whichis nearly bald at the crown, N and N representing two natural hairs, Ngrowing from the crown area and N growing to the side.

The first row 116 is looped in the manner described in reference to FIG.3, except that the innermost extensions of the loops go to the center ofthe opening in the piece, stopping just short of contacting loops fromthe opposite side. The small area left free of hair exposes the wearer'sscalp, producing a natural looking crown with the appearance of hairrising up from the area around the natural bare spot (which is normallyone sixteenth inch to one eighth inch in diameter) and radiating away inthe most convincing manner. The underlying hair of the loops gives theappearance of lower layers of hair and helps prevent the scalp fromshowing elsewhere in the crown area. Other advantages are derived fromthis construction also. Since there is no base in the area, ventilationis excellent and even more importantly, natural hair such as N and Neven though very sparse, can easily and gently be led up through thepiece. The wearer finds plenty of finger room to reach through thecenter, by pushing the loops aside, and grasp the natural hair andinterleave it between the loops of hair of the invention.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. it is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

l. A hairpiece comprising: a skullcap-like crowned ring-shaped coif offlexible sheet material, a first plurality of strands of hairlikematerial affixed around the inner periphery of the ring shaped coif andextending to the center thereof and doubling back in upstanding loopconfiguration to said ring-shaped coif; and a sec- 10 0nd plurality ofstrands of hairlike material affixed to and covering the outersurface-of the ring-shaped coif,

the second plurality of strands of hairlike material radially extendingoutwardly beyond the outer diameter of the ring shaped coif.

2. A hairpiece as recited in claim 1, wherein means are providedfastening the doubled-back portion of said doubled-back strands to thering-shaped coif, thereby fixing the upstanding loop configuration insimulation of the hair pattern at the crown of a normal head of humanhair.

3. A hairpiece as recited in claim 2, wherein the radial extent of theplurality of strands beyond the outer diameter of the ring-shaped coifforms a circularly symmetrical outer fringe substantially concentricwith the ring-shaped coif.

4. The method of giving the appearance of a quantity of hair growing atthe crown of a human head, comprising the steps of:

a. positioning a strand-bearing ring-shaped coif over the head with thecenter of over the center of the crown of the head;

b. positioning the strands of the ring-shaped coif in respective loopsradially extending inwardly to the center of the ring-shaped coif butleaving a space between the loops at the center revealing a naturalcrownlike exposed portion of the scalp of the human head.

5. The method of claim 4 and the additional step of drawing strands ofhair naturally growing in said human head crown area upward through thecenter of the ringshaped coif between said loops.

# IF i 1

1. A hairpiece comprising: a skullcap-like crowned ring-shaped coif offlexible sheet material, a first plurality of strands of hairlikematerial affixed around the inner periphery of the ring shaped coif andextending to the center thereof and doubling back in upstanding loopconfiguration to said ring-shaped coif; and a second plurality ofstrands of hairlike material affixed to and covering the outer surfaceof the ring-shaped coif, the second plurality of strands of hairlikematerial radially extending outwardly beyond the outer diameter of thering shaped coif.
 2. A hairpiece as recited in claim 1, wherein meansare provided fastening the doubled-back portion of said doubled-backstrands to the ring-shaped coif, thereby fixing the upstanding loopconfiguration in simulation of the hair pattern at the crown of a normalhead of human hair.
 3. A hairpiece as recited in claim 2, wherein theradial extent of the plurality of strands beyond the outer diameter ofthe ring-shaped coif forms a circularly symmetrical outer fringesubstantially concentric with the ring-shaped coif.
 4. The method ofgiving the appearance of a quantity of hair growing at the crown of ahuman head, comprising the steps of: a. positioning a strand-bearingring-shaped coif over the head with the center of over the center of thecrown of the head; b. positioning the strands of the ring-shaped coif inrespective loops radially extending inwardly to the center of thering-shaped coif but leaving a space between the loops at the centerrevealing a natural crownlike exposed portion of the scalp of the humanhead.
 5. The method of claim 4 and the additional step of drawingstrands of hair naturally growing in said human heAd crown area upwardthrough the center of the ring-shaped coif between said loops.